EARN Newsletter: August 2025

EARN in Action

Affirming the Right to Work: 35 Years of the ADA

Check out the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) blog to read Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Policy Brian Walsh’s appreciation of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the 35^th anniversary of its passage last month. As celebrations begin for America’s 250^th birthday, he described the legislation’s critical role in advancing the mission of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the agency he leads. DAS Walsh also encouraged readers to join EARN’s recent webinar, “Hiring Talent, Meeting Workforce Needs: Disability Employment Basics for Small Businesses,” which addressed employer responsibilities under the ADA and provided insights on applicable tax incentives for employers who hire people with disabilities.

Encouraging Applicants with Disabilities: Job Descriptions and Announcements

Summer is winding down, and many employers may be looking ahead to seasonal shifts in hiring needs, including for the holidays. Now is the time to ensure that job descriptions and announcements use language that welcomes all qualified candidates, including people with disabilities, to apply. Key elements include information about job/candidate fit, accommodations and accessibility, essential and marginal job functions, and minimum qualification standards. EARN offers two resources that can help: a checklist for employers writing job descriptions and announcements and an explainer to use in conjunction with the checklist.

The Latest

Celebrating Value and Talent—Get Your NDEAM Poster Today!

Leading up to the celebration of America’s 250^th anniversary, this year marks the 80^th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! Even though the annual October celebrations are still a few months away, many organizations start planning well in advance—to help, the official 2025 poster is now available to download or order. Hang the poster in your workplace to highlight this year’s theme, “Celebrating Value and Talent,” and to show your commitment to creating a workforce that welcomes all qualified workers, including workers with disabilities.

Veterans Accommodations Toolkit

DOL recently announced the release of the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit, a new resource developed by ODEP and the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service to help improve employment outcomes for disabled American veterans. The toolkit offers tips and strategies for enhancing workplace supports that can facilitate the recruitment, hiring, training, and retention of disabled veterans in apprenticeships and other employment settings.

It is Back-to-School Time!

Millions of children, teachers, and support staff across the nation are heading back to school. It is a reminder for educational institutions to be ready to handle accommodations for educators with disabilities so they can start the new school year with success. ODEP’s Job Accommodation Network (JAN) offers numerous resources—including those specifically for educators with disabilities—to help employers provide appropriate and effective accommodations and comply with the ADA.

Ask EARN

Spotlight

Apprenticeship.gov

Interested in learning more about apprenticeships from the employer perspective? Apprenticeship.gov offers a range of resources, including steps for sponsoring apprentices or building new programs and case studies from various industries. The site also has information on the benefits of apprenticeship for the employer, such as a skilled future workforce, improved productivity, and reduced turnover, and offers guidance on the array of partners that can help in facilitating success.

The content in this newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.